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Veteran
NASA Astronauts James Buchli and Janet
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Kavandi
Inducted into U. S. Astronaut Hall of Fame®
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at
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
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Cape
Canaveral, FL – April 2019 / Newsmaker Alert / Veteran
NASA astronauts James Buchli and Janet Kavandi were inducted Saturday (April
6) into the prestigious United
States Astronaut Hall of Fame® – marking the 18th class of honorees
to join this esteemed society.
The
ceremony was held at Kennedy
Space Center Visitor Complex, set underneath the awe-inspiring space
shuttle Atlantis. Buchli and Kavandi were honored for their outstanding
accomplishments in furthering NASA’s mission of exploration and discovery.
Their induction brings the total number of astronauts in the U.S. Astronaut
Hall of Fame to 99.
Providing
remarks to officially welcome the astronauts to the U.S. Astronaut Hall
of Fame were Therrin Protze, chief operating officer of Kennedy Space Center
Visitor Complex, Curt Brown, veteran NASA astronaut and board chairman
of the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation, Robert Cabana, veteran NASA astronaut
and center director, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
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Also
in attendance were veteran astronauts Scott Altman, Tony Antonelli, Karol
“Bo” Bobko, Charlie Bolden, Vance Brand, Dan Brandenstein, Franklin Chang-Diaz,
Michael Coats, Dick Covey, Bob Crippen, Frank Culbertson, Fred Gregory,
Robert “Hoot” Gibson, Jeffery Hoffman, Tom Jones, Steve Lindsey, Bruce
Melnick, Ellen Ochoa, Gary Payton, Charlie Precourt, Kent Rominger, Jerry
Ross, Rhea Seddon, Loren Shriver, Brewster Shaw, Kathy Sullivan and Al
Worden.
“With
the era of new space exploration upon us, I am honored to recognize these
two individuals who have dedicated their careers to furthering space exploration,”
said Therrin Protze, chief operating officer of Kennedy Space Center Visitor
Complex, prior to the induction ceremony. “Without the dedication and commitment
of pioneers such as Buchli and Kavandi we would not be where we are today.”
Both
Buchli and Kavandi have had distinguished careers, centered around their
love of space and science:
James
Buchli, Colonel, USMC, retired
Retired
USMC Colonel James F. Buchli dedicated 25 years to military service and
became a NASA astronaut in 1979. His considerable experience includes a
career 4,200 hours of flying time, 4,000 of which were in jet aircraft.
He was a member of the support crew for STS-1 and STS-2, and On-Orbit CAPCOM
for STS-2. A veteran of four space flights, Buchli has orbited the earth
319 times, traveling 7.74 million miles in 20 days, 10 hours, 25 minutes,
32 seconds. He served as a mission specialist on STS-51C Discovery (1985),
which was the first dedicated Department of Defense mission; on STS-61A
Challenger (1985), which was the first to carry eight crew members, the
largest crew to fly in space, and the first in which payload activities
were controlled from outside the United States; STS-29 Discovery (1989),
a highly successful mission during which the crew deployed a Tracking and
Data Relay Satellite, performed numerous secondary experiments and took
more than 3,000 photographs of the earth; and STS-48 Discovery (1991),
a five-day mission during which the crew deployed the Upper Atmosphere
Research Satellite (UARS) designed to provide scientists with their first
complete data set on the upper atmosphere’s chemistry, winds and energy
inputs. From March 1989 through May 1992 he also served as Deputy Chief
of the Astronaut Office. In the fall of 1992, Buchli retired from the U.S.
Marine Corps and the NASA Astronaut Office. Following his time at NASA,
he started working with Boeing Defense Space Group. He also served as the
Operations & Utilization Manager for Space Station, Boeing Defense
and Space Group.
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Janet
Kavandi (Ph.D.)
Janet
Kavandi was selected as a NASA astronaut in December 1994 as a member of
the 15th class of U.S. astronauts. During her time in the Astronaut Office,
she supported ISS payload integration, capsule communications, robotics,
and served as Deputy Chief of the Astronaut Office. She is a veteran of
three space flights, serving as a mission specialist on STS-91 (1998),
STS-99 (2000), and STS-104 (2001). Kavandi has logged more than 33 days
in space, traveling more than 13.1 million miles in 535 Earth orbits. She
moved on to work at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, where she served
as the Director of Flight Crew Operations, responsible for the Astronaut
Corps and aircraft operations at Ellington Field. Kavandi also served as
the deputy director of the Health and Human Performance Directorate, responsible
for the NASA flight surgeons and human research investigations on the International
Space Station (ISS). Currently, she is the Director of the National Aeronautics
and Space Administration’s John H. Glenn Research Center. Her work has
been recognized with a Presidential Rank Award, two NASA Outstanding Leadership
Medals, two Exceptional Service Medals and three NASA Space Flight Medals.
The
U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame was spearheaded more than 30 years ago by the
six surviving Mercury 7 astronauts. In November 2016, a new U.S. Astronaut
Hall of Fame opened at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, as part of
the Heroes & Legends attraction.
U.S.
Astronaut Hall of Fame Induction Process and Eligibility
Each
year, inductees are selected by a committee of Hall of Fame astronauts,
former NASA officials, flight directors, historians and journalists. The
process is administered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. To be
eligible, an astronaut must have made his or her first flight at least
17 years before the induction. Candidates must be a U.S. citizen and a
NASA-trained commander, pilot or mission specialist who has orbited the
earth at least once.
About
the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation
The
Astronaut Scholarship Foundation (ASF) participated in creating a venue
where space travelers could be remembered – the U.S.
Astronaut Hall of Fame, which opened in 1990. Today, the foundation
serves as a consultant for the Hall of Fame, which includes conducting
the selection process of astronauts for enshrinement by an outside committee.
The Foundation’s mission is to aid the United States in retaining its world
leadership in technology and innovation by supporting the very best and
brightest scholars in science, technology, engineering and mathematics
while commemorating the legacy of America’s pioneering astronauts.
ASF
has awarded almost $5 million to outstanding Astronaut Scholars nationwide
with support from astronauts from the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Skylab,
Space Shuttle and Space Station programs who participate in this educational
endeavor. For more information, visit www.AstronautScholarship.org.
About
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
Kennedy
Space Center Visitor Complex brings to life the epic story of the U.S.
space program, offering a full day or more of fun, inspiration and educational
activities. This includes the Apollo/Saturn V Center, which features an
actual Saturn V Moon rocket, and is currently being upgraded and expanded
in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 launch and Moon
landing. Also included with admission are Heroes & Legends, featuring
the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame®, presented by Boeing, the Kennedy
Space Center Bus Tour, Space Shuttle Atlantis®, Shuttle Launch Experience®,
IMAX® A Beautiful Planet 3D and Journey To Space 3D films, Astronaut
Encounter, Journey To Mars: Explorers Wanted, Science on a Sphere®,
and the Rocket Garden. Add-on experiences available for an additional fee
include the new Astronaut Training Experience® Exploring with Lockheed
Martin, Cosmic Quest, Dine With an Astronaut and special interest bus tours.
Only 45 minutes from Orlando, Fla., Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
opens daily at 9 a.m. with closing times varying by season. Admission is
$57 + tax for adults and $47 + tax for children ages 3 – 11. Kennedy Space
Center Visitor Complex offers annual passes starting at $82 + tax for adults
and $67 + tax for children ages 3 – 11. For more information, call 877-313-2610
or visit www.KennedySpaceCenter.com.
Follow
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex on Facebook,
Twitter,
YouTube,
Instagram
and
Pinterest
About
Delaware North
Delaware
North is one of the largest privately-held hospitality companies in
the world. Founded in 1915, Delaware North has global operations at high-profile
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destination resorts and restaurants, airports, and regional casinos. Our
55,000 employee associates are dedicated to creating special experiences
one guest at a time in serving more than a half-billion guests annually.
Delaware North has annual revenue of more than $3 billion in the sports,
travel hospitality, restaurants and catering, parks, resorts, gaming, and
specialty retail industries. Learn more about Delaware North, a global
leader in hospitality and food service, at www.DelawareNorth.com.
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Media
Contacts:
Lauren
Eisele Walbert
Sandy
Hillman Communications
410-616-8943
Rebecca
Shireman
Manager
of Communications & Public Relations
Kennedy
Space Center Visitor Complex
321-449-4273
or 321-213-5926
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